As with Batmanthe X-Men, the journey to casting any comic book movie leads can be a complicated one, subject to some complex considerations: does the studio go with an established star and runt he risk of audiences bringing something of their past into the role - and of course the added financial requirements of going with fame - or do they cast unknowns and hope to mould them into a star. Both Marvel and DC have taken both approaches, and in both cases have enjoyed mixed success: for Marvel, Robert Downey Junior was an inspired move, but so too was casting Tom Hiddleston as Thor, while DC's greatest casting successes have come with established stars (though not necessarily the most expected ones). It's a mine-field, and the bigger issue for casting directors is that fandoms come into any comic book movie with entrenched expectations of the character: that's why both Michael Keaton and Heath Ledger suffered such backlashes when they were cast as Batman and the Joker. And when it comes to Superman, those concerns are on a whole other level. It's not enough to simply look like Christopher Reeve - as Brandon Routh found out - and it's not enough simply to be either a good Superman or a good Clark Kent: the role requires an actor who can comprehensively convince the audience of the most ridiculous conceit in comic book history: that Superman and Clark Kent are unrecognisable from one another. Because of those considerations, the list of actors linked to Superman is a vast one, taking in some truly odd-ball suggestions, as well as some of the finest actors of their generation. So with that in mind, we're running down the most intriguing and strangest of those near-miss casting decisions in the Man Of Steel's big screen history...
